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Home , Ananda Mahidol, Luigi Bressan, Michael Michai Kitbunchu, Vajiralongkorn, Vajiravudh

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1903. But he suggests that the outcome Luigi Bressan and Michael Smithies, might have been different with a differ- Thai-Vatican Relations in the Twentieth ent cast of characters. If, for example, Century. , Apostolic Nunciature, van der Heide had been reporting to 2006, 178 pp., ills. Prince Damrong, instead of the weak, timid Thewet, the outcome might have This volume arrives as the third of been different. a trilogy involving the same authors, As it happened, an irrigation project whose first two volumes were Siam and similar to the Great Scheme was built the Vatican in the Seventeenth Century in the 1950s with foreign loans and (2001), and, by Luigi Bressan alone, World Bank assistance. It was a great and Pope Leo XIII success. (1998). The present concluding volume As noted, this is not a biography of of the trilogy was published in 2006, in Homan van der Heide, but one could the words of Michael Cardinal Michai wish for a little more information about Kitbunchu, Archbishop of Bangkok, the man. We are not even told whether “to celebrate the auspicious occasion his family came to Bangkok. On the of the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty’s very last page there is a single mention Coronation”, that of Phra Bat Somdej of a wife, riding with him in a farm cart Phra Paramindara Maha Bhumibol after World War II. Van der Heide had Adulyadej. National Socialist sympathies in the After the preface of Cardinal Michai 1930s and was arrested after the war. Kitbunchu and acknowledgements, He died in an internment camp in 1945 there follows an introduction covering at the age of 80. the advent of Christianity in Altogether, this is an impressive and and early contacts with the Vatican. valuable contribution to the economic Then Chapter 1, ‘The First Decade’, and social . covers the death of Pope Leo XIII in There is an excellent index and many 1903, who in 1897 had received in audi- useful photographs and maps ence King Chulalongkorn; the election of Pope Pius X in the same year; King James C. Ingram Chulalongkorn’s letter of congratula- tions on his election; the death of King Chulalongkorn in 1910, and the acces- sion of King , who had ear- lier been part of King Chulalongkorn’s entourage visiting Pope Leo XIII in 1897; King Vajiravudh’s letter inform- ing the Pope of the death of his father, and his own accession to the throne; and a letter from Pope Pius X expressing

Journal of the 2008 Vol. 96 274 Reviews his sincere condolences on the death of creation of the Apostolic Delegation in King Chulalongkorn and best wishes to Thailand, 1957; the death of Pope Pius the new king. XII and election of Pope John XXIII Chapter 2, ‘The Second Decade’, in- in 1958. cludes letters from the Vatican to King Next, chapter 6, ‘The 1960s’, re- Vajiravudh informing His Majesty of counts in great detail the third Royal the death of Pius X in 1914 and election Visit to the Vatican from Thailand, this of Pope Benedict XV; from the Pope time that of Their Majesties King Bhu- announcing his election; and from the mibol Adulyadej and Queen in King congratulating the Pope. Chapter 1960; the death of Pope John XXIII and 3, ‘The 1920s’, takes up documents election of Paul VI in 1963. Chapter 7, relating to the death of Pope Benedict ‘The 1970s’, recalls the establishment of XV in 1922; the election of Pope Pius diplomatic relations between Thailand XI; letters to and from the Pope and and the and the opening of King Vajiravudh; an unofficial visit to the Apostolic Nunciature in Bangkok, the Vatican of HRH Prince Mahidol; the 1969; private audiences with the Holy death of King Vajiravudh in 1925; and Father, Pope Paul VI, of the Buddhist the accession of King . “Delegation of Messengers of Peace”, ‘The 1930s’, chapter 4, records the including Phra Thep Sophon and Phra visits to the Vatican of HRH Prince Dhamkosacharn, senior Thai Buddhist in 1930 and then monks, 1971; of Dr. of their Majesties King Prajadhipok and in also 1971; of a special delegation Queen Rambai in 1934, including their of Thai Buddhist monks in 1972; and Majesties’ presence at the canoniza- documents between the King and the tion of St. John Bosco; the abdication Vatican on the occasion of the death of King Prajadhipok from England in of Pope Paul VI, the election of Pope 1935; the accession to the throne of King John Paul I, the death of John Paul I, . and the election of Pope John Paul II Chapter 5, ‘The 1940s and 1950s’, – all in 1978. tells of the death of Pope Pius XI and let- Chapter 8, ‘The 1980s’, features the ter from Pope Pius XII to King Ananda news of the elevation of Archbishop Mahidol; King Ananda Mahidol’s visit Michael Michai Kitbunchu to the rank to Assumption Cathedral accompanied of Cardinal in 1983, and the state visit by Bishop Perot in 1946, a month before of Pope John Paul II to Thailand in His Majesty’s death; the accession of 1984. Pope John Paul II was met at the King Ananda Mahidol’s brother, King airport in Bangkok by the Crown Prince , to the throne in on behalf of His Maj- the same year; Prime Minister Field esty, together with government repre- Marshal Phibul’s private audience sentatives, and from the airport went with Pope Pius XII in 1955; the Pope’s immediately to visit King Bhumibol

Journal of the Siam Society 2008 Vol. 96 Reviews 275

Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit at the other by both the of Thailand , and from there to visit and their court and the Popes with their the Supreme Patriarch of the Buddhist entourages, beginning in particular with Sangha in Thailand, before beginning the visit of King Chulalongkorn in 1897, to meet, in an unbelievably crushing despite the tense relationship at that time schedule, officials at Government between the Italian Government and the House, and his Catholic flock. After Vatican. that there were private audiences with The continual concern and warmth Pope John Paul II at the Vatican with of expression is evident, both in the HRH Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn in documents to and fro with repeated 1985 and with HRH Crown Princess blessings from the Popes on the King, in 1988. his reign, his family and all the people Lastly, chapter 9, ‘Into the 21st Cen- of Thailand, and likewise from Their tury’, closes with moving messages be- Majesties for the Pope and the peoples tween His Majesty King Bhumibol and of the ; such affection the Vatican on the occasion of the death was even more apparent during the of Pope John Paul II and the election of royal visits and papal audiences, not Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. to mention Pope John Paul II’s visit to What stands out in this third vol- Thailand. There was no hidden agenda: ume of the trilogy is the nature of the it was a transparent relationship, and the relationship between Their Majesties, Popes and the Kings were truly friends. the monarchs of Thailand, and their If in doubt, read the documents. governments, with the Popes and the As the Catholics of Thailand are Vatican over 400 years and climaxing noted for their love and loyalty to Our in the twentieth century. It could be Holy Father, the Pope, so is their grati- held, given the friendly relations over tude, love and loyalty to His Majesty the such a long period, that the purpose to King equally profound. What an amaz- begin with was basically political, in ing phenomenon in today’s world! No the sense that the royal governments wonder Catholics take a special pride have consistently respected the freedom in being Thai. of all religions within the Kingdom of In conclusion, it must be mentioned Thailand, and in its turn the Vatican that this book is extremely valuable for has been deeply appreciative of this. its presentation of clear photocopies Nevertheless the characteristics of the of the numerous relevant documents relationship go far beyond that. For, and their translations. This was accom- reviewing the relevant documents pre- plished through painstaking and thor- sented in this volume, one can only be ough research of the various archives moved by the sincerity, human concern, concerned both in Thailand and at the integrity and, one cannot help but notice, Vatican. In addition, the text is accom- genuine friendship displayed to each panied throughout by clear, historic

Journal of the Siam Society 2008 Vol. 96 276 Reviews photographs of many of the events it Thak Chaloemtiarana, Thailand: The portrays, helping the reader to relive politics of despotic paternalism. Chiang in imagination those happy, blessed Mai, Silkworm Books, 2007, xxiii + 284 events. pp., pb, Bt 695. The book concludes with five pages of annexes containing lists detailing a Much value has been added to this chronology of Thai-Vatican relations new edition of an important book. In in the twentieth century; the reigns of terms of quantity, I estimate an addi- Thai monarchs and Supreme Pontiffs tional 30 per cent, if you include a new in the twentieth century; Thai envoys Foreword (13 pp.) and Postscript (30 to the Holy See and the presentation of pp.), an index and at least fifty photo- letters of credence; and Vatican envoys graphs that were not in the first edition to Thailand. And the very last page after of 1979. The publisher Silkworm Books the annexes contains enlightening de- has to be congratulated once again. The tails of the lives of its two authors, Luigi new edition has better paper, binding, Bressan and Michael Smithies. fonts and editing, though there are still Worth reading carefully. Worth pre- a few avoidable errors. serving! Thak Chaloemtiarana is a senior Thai political scientist who has long been at Sigmund J. Laschenski, S.J. Cornell University. He started his PhD research on the Thai military just a month or two before the November 1971 coup d’état which, in his new Foreword, he describes as ‘a coup against the ris- ing demands of civil society’ and ‘an attempt to rejuvenate and to maintain the political system that Sarit devised’. He turned his attention to Sarit himself – a ‘paternalistic despot’ (phokhun uppatham baeb padetkan). He asks the question whether in Thailand ‘the legitimacy of a civil leader[ship] can ever be based solely on legal-rational institutions’. The question is once again of con- temporary relevance. Many people have a feeling that Thailand’s political development has been, or is in danger of being, set back, maybe to the 1960s, or even to before 1932. Whether you have

Journal of the Siam Society 2008 Vol. 96